Minor Pentatonic Chord Progressions

In the minor
pentatonic scale lesson we learned the intervals
that
make up the
scale and that it's basically a minor scale that will work over minor
chords.
However, it also works over sequences
of chords (chord progressions).

In most cases, as long as the chords used in the progression lie within
the same key (more on this in a minute!), you can use the same root
minor pentatonic scale throughout the entire progression.

First, we need to understand the theory behind what makes a chord
progression suitable for playing minor pentatonic...

Building minor pentatonic chord progressions

In
a minor
key context

The primary function of minor pentatonic is as a stripped down
alternative
to other
minor scales (e.g. natural minor, harmonic minor, Dorian etc.).

As the "rules" for minor pentatonic are exactly the same
as for natural minor, I recommend looking over the natural
minor scale progressions
lesson for an overview of using minor pentatonic over minor key
progressions.

In
a major
key and blues context

Unlike other minor scales, minor pentatonic is often used in a major
key context, such as in blues or rock and roll.

In a blues context, the chords used can be symbolised as I IV V
(1 4 5).

This means we're using three major chords, including a major tonic (I)
which defines the key of our chord progression and the root
of our minor pentatonic scale.

Here's a video I uploaded to the YouTube
channel that introduces the essential I IV V concept on
guitar...

Now, if we're playing minor pentatonic over this sequence, the best way
to support its sound is to use dominant 7th chords on each
position...

I7IV7V7

Dominant 7th chords give this sequence more of a bluesy feel that
really brings out minor pentatonic's character.

For example, if the tonic chord was E7, this is the sequence we'd
have...

E7A7B7

E
minor pentatonic would be our scale, even though the tonic
makes
this a major key progression! It's just one of those dissonances
(between the major and minor 3rd) that actually sounds good and gives
it that bluesy sound. Using dominant 7th chords "softens" the harshness
of this
dissonance.

In the key of D major (and therefore D minor pentatonic would be our
scale), we'd have...

D7G7A7

Same sequence, different key. Get to know the sound of these chord
relationships and you'll know when minor pentatonic is an option for
your solo.

Of course, a typical progression might move between these chords in a
different way, such as...

I/
IV / I /
I
/IV/
IV
/I /
I
/ V
/
IV
/
I /
V

That's a typical rock and roll progression over which minor pentatonic
would typically be used (as well as extended blues
guitar scales).

So, in a nutshell, minor pentatonic works over minor key progressions
in exactly the same way natural minor does, but it also works over
those 3 chord I IV V major key blues
chord progressions.

You should explore these relationships in your own time, but below is a
table showing you how the minor pentatonic root would
change depending on the key your 1 4 5 progression is in. Notice how
key, and therefore the root of our scale is defined by
the tonic (I) starting chord.

Key
& Scale Root

I
IV V

A

A
D E

B

B E
F#

C

C
F G

D

D
G A

E

E A
B

F

F
Bb C

G

G C
D

Minor pentatonic over the V chord

Even if the progression doesn't follow the traditional blues 1 4 5
sequence, you can still use minor pentatonic over the V (5) chord of a
progression, before the resolution back to a major or minor tonic.

For example, a common resolution sequence is ii V I (2 5 1), and while
the root minor pentatonic scale of that key wouldn't work so
comfortably over the ii
chord, it would work nicely over the V and I or i chord.

Some examples of how you might negotiate this:

Root

ii V I
Progression

Scale
over the ii
chord

Over
the V
and I
chords

A

Bm / E7 / Amaj

B Dorian/A major

A minor pentatonic

B

C#m / F#7 / Bmaj

C# Dorian / B major

B minor pentatonic

C

Dm / G7 / Cmaj

D Dorian / C major

C minor pentatonic

D

Em / A7 / Dmaj

E Dorian / D major

D minor pentatonic

E

F#m / B7 / Emaj

F# Dorian / E major

E minor pentatonic

F

Gm / C7 / Fmaj

G Dorian / F major

F minor pentatonic

G

Am / D7 / Gmaj

A Dorian / G major

G minor pentatonic

Remember, this also works for a minor tonic as well. Taking the G root
from the table - Am / D7 / Gm.